Often during this time of the year I am asked, "what do lawn care companies do?" Personally, I'll admit that when I first started Weed Pro 13 years ago, I too asked myself that question. While most think that like "snow birds" we all head south for the winter, I can assure you that it is in fact the busiest of times for me and my management team.

Lawn Care Has Changed...

The lawn care industry has come a long way since the 80's and 90's. Increased competition, and a more educated consumer have caused lawn care companies to become more sophisticated in order to compete in the marketplace. Today's business environment requires intense planning, coordination, and a level of detail that lawn care companies of the past could overlook.  In fact, I can honestly tell you that I and the rest of our management team are busier from November to March than we are throughout the rest of the year. 

Winter Meetings & Planning

During the winter, Weed Pro and other lawn care companies begin with a thorough evaluation of the past year, examining the positives and negatives of our performance to make sure we are honoring our company values and mission.  Next, using this data we begin the budgeting and planning process for the next 12 months. During this process, we examine equipment and supply needs, evaluating personal and positions, implementing training programs, and revising standard operating procedures to improve our overall performance.  

In addition to our planning process, other activities are taking place, including:

• winter maintenance crews addressing repair needs for our fleet and equipment to make sure they are safe, efficient and live up to the high standards of our brand. 
• the customer service team reviewing all accounts to make sure we are prepared to provide excellent service as we roll over the year.  We offer all our customers a pre-payment option so each and every customer is sent a detailed letter explaining services they are set up for with an option to pay early to receive a discount. 
• our technicians undergoing training and licensing processes, as well as attending various seminars to hone their skills.

It All Comes Down To Planning

Running a lawn care company in Ohio, considering we make no money for over 3 months requires a focused plan and diligent budgeting.  Our time is spent maximizing the resources we have and determining what we need to make sure we are providing the greatest amount of value for our customer. Moreover, we do this with the least amount of impact on our employees and staff.  Very few of our staff are laid off as most contribute in our preparation for next year.  It is an amazing thing to see each year and while there are challenges, it is the culture we have created.

As Spring comes, we are excited to once again return to our customers home and see the fruits of our labor flourish.  There hasn’t been a year yet, when we have felt like there was enough time to get all our projects completed, but together we make this thing we call customer service happen 12 month a year!

Tips for Finding the Right Lawn Care Company

Everything we do here at Weed Pro is to provide the best lawn care experience possible for our customers. With that said, you should be aware of lawn care company practices and what they provide you as a customer. That's why my team has put together the ultimate hiring guide for finding the best lawn care company in Cleveland or Columbus.  The best part is that this guide is yours ABSOLUTELY FREE! Just click the button below and download your free copy!

Robert Palmer is the founder and owner of Weed Pro Lawn Care. Since opening in 2001, Weed Pro Lawn Care has become one of the nation’s leading lawn care companies. A respected leader in both the local community & industry, Rob has received many industry awards, including receiving one of Lawn & Landscapes 2013 Leadership Awards. Additionally, Rob is a regular contributor to the Weed Pro Blog, and other industry magazines and blogs.  Rob on Google+     Rob on LinkedIn     Rob on Twitter